In 2023, 33% of workers in West Virginia’s 20 most common jobs lived in households that couldn’t afford basics, according to new data from the United Ways of West Virginia and its research partner United For ALICE. These workers – the backbone of every community – include personal care aides, janitors, cashiers and waiters and waitresses.
The State of ALICE in West Virginia reveals that traditional measures of poverty have severely undercounted the number of households statewide that are living in financial hardship. While 17% of all households in the state lived in poverty in 2023, the new research shows that 29% – were ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed). Combined, 46% of West Virginia’s households fell below the ALICE Threshold of Financial Survival in 2023.
ALICE households bring in less than the basic costs of housing, child care, food, transportation, health care and technology, plus taxes. Yet because their income is above the Federal Poverty Level, they often don’t qualify for assistance.
“When we underestimate how many households are struggling, we underestimate what it truly takes to build thriving communities,” said Brett White, CEO of Tygart Valley United Way. “This means entire families and essential workers may be overlooked for support, left without the resources they need to stay healthy, achieve financial stability and reach their fullest potential. That’s a loss not just for ALICE, but for all of us.”
The crux of the struggle for ALICE families is the gap between wages and expenses. In 2023, a family of four in West Virginia needed $74,424 just to cover the essentials – over double the Federal Poverty Level of $30,000. Yet even with both parents working full time in two of the state’s most common jobs – a personal care aide and a stock worker/order filler – this family’s combined income still fell short of the cost of basics by $16,294.
The State of ALICE in West Virginia also reveals that in 2023:
- West Virginia ranked 44th in financial hardship among all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, with one of the nation’s highest percentages of households struggling to make ends meet.
- Some groups face financial hardship at disproportionate rates, with 67% of the youngest and 53% of the oldest households in West Virginia falling below the ALICE Threshold, compared with 39% of households headed by someone age 25-44.
- Housing continues to be an obstacle for struggling families. Among households below the ALICE Threshold in West Virginia, 24% of households that rented and 33% of those that owned were rent and housing burdened – meaning they paid 30% or more of their income on rent and housing costs.
“ALICE families are especially vulnerable during natural disasters and times of economic uncertainty and yet often feel unseen or left behind,” said Stephanie Hoopes, Ph.D., National Director at United For ALICE. “By providing a name and a way to quantify these households, we’re equipping communities with the data to build solutions that offer better choices and real pathways to stability.”
More state and local data is available through the interactive dashboards on UnitedForALICE.org/West-Virginia.